Parents Address Dist. 100 School Board

BELVIDERE (WIFR) -- School closures and teacher layoffs are on the table as the Belvidere School district works to erase a projected $26 to $28 million budget deficit. Many parents aren't happy about some of the deficit-reduction ideas.

The crowd coming to tonight’s 6:00 meeting at Belvidere North High School is expected to fill up the entire cafeteria. That was the case at the January board meeting where the school board presented dozens of community suggestions of where to make cuts. Tonight, parents will voice their opinions about those ideas.

Some of the suggestions include closing elementary and middle schools, consolidating the two high schools and reconfiguring grades. There are also talks about fee increases and dozens of teacher layoffs.

We're also expected to hear some new community reduction ideas tonight. One of them, to cut 10% in every department, to buy some time.

Most parents say they want more time and want the district to slow down. The board just presented these ideas last month, they'll make a recommendation February 19th and they'll make a final decision in March.

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